News From : DagangHalal.com (08 Sep 2010)
KUALA LUMPUR: The Department of Islamic Development Malaysia (JAKIM) had revoked the Halal certification of the iconic QBB Pure Ghee.
Malaysian Islamic Consumers Association executive officer Mohd Mustaffa Hamzah said Muslims should not use the ghee as it contained “suspicious elements that could not be consumed by Muslims. We hope that Muslims will stop using this product until further notice”.
“We are not trying to sabotage or boycott the company producing the ghee but we have a responsibility to protect the sanctity of Halal goods”, he said, calling on shop owners to remove the product from their shelves. Mustaffa said the product was still being sold with the JAKIM Halal logo attached although certification was revoked on Aug 19.
Earlier, in a statement on Aug 25, Q.B.B Pte Ltd Director Lim Peck Bin denied that the product contained non-permitted substances.
He said there was no evidence of traces of lard or substances of porcine origin in the product in tests carried out after the company received a letter from the department which required a thorough analysis of the product.
In a statement from Singapore where the company was located, he said the revocation of Halal status would not affect the sale of the product in Malaysia.
“The revocation of the Halal status only requires us to temporarily remove the Halal logo, pending further analysis by JAKIM”, he said.
Lim said QBB will work closely with JAKIM to ensure that the matter was resolved as soon as possible to avoid confusion among Muslim consumers.
He added that JAKIM officials would visit Australia to inspect the ghee production facility and conduct further tests.
“In the light of this, we will continue to take all reasonable steps to ensure that our products are suitable for all Muslim consumers and meet the Halal certification by JAKIM.”
New Straits Times